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Saturday, July 02, 2011

Classifieds

For Sale
Blackmagic Intensity Pro HDMI/Analog HD/SD editing card that was used three or four times is for sale for $160. Location: Boston. These sell for $189 on Amazon
Contact Adam at @AdamWeiss on Twitter

Jobs
We are a New York based documentary TV production company looking for shooters in Boston. We are currently staffing for a potential documentary series. Please send resume/ credits and references. MediaMatch: Shooter (Boston)



Send Boston related jobs, items for sale toEmail NotesOnVideo

Brattle Theatre Trailer Smackdown

The Cambridge, MA Brattle Theatre is running a Trailer Smackdown Competition. Cost is $10 and the entry deadline is July 13th

  • The goal of the Brattle’s Trailer smackdown is for teams or individuals to create an original trailer for the fictional movie “Labor Day”.
  • Each trailer must include one item from each column listed on the entry form (“Genre”, “Location”, “Character”, and “Action”). one written-in “Wild Card” will be allowed per entry. Please note: selecting one item does not preclude using other items from the same list.
  • All films submitted must be less than two (2) minutes in length.
  • The films may contain violence or nudity, but we cannot allow anything that would be deemed pornography. You may not harm real animals or unwilling people in the making of your video.
Brattle Theatre: Full Competition Rules

News From Here & There

Documentary Shooting With The NEX-FS100
Eric Koretz bought the NEX-FS100 for an HBO documentary and he's written a post about setting up the camera with a PL mount adapter from Hot Rod Camera. He also warns against using the camera with a quick release baseplate:
As you can see in the picture above I added a shitty quick release plate (in the field) because I needed to pop the camera off quickly..DON’T do what I did (Illya warned me not to put the plate on FYI). Because of the ergonomics of the camera and the poor (plastic) build of the plate it makes the camera unstable and adds slop (movement) while pulling focus.
ImageHunter: HBO Documentary – SONY FS100 with O’Connor, Hot Rod and Zeiss



New Olympus 4/3 Lenses
Olympus have announced two new 4/3 lenses which should be usable with the Panasonic AG-AF100.
HD Warrior has a bit of information, along as mentioning a couple of zooms from Olympus.
HDWarrior: Two new mFT Prime lenses from Olympus



RED EPIC HDRx Workflow
Leandro Marini, founder and DI Producer at Local Hero Post and Blair Paulsen, founder of 4-K Ninjas, demonstrate the best practices for photography and post-production workflows of RED EPIC RAW and EPIC HDRx files with ASSIMILATE SCRATCH.
VimeoWebinar: RED’s EPIC HDRx Workflow in SCRATCH



Edius 6 Update
Grass Valley has updated Edius, adding support for 50p & 60p. No word on a discount for Final Cut Pro users...
CinescopophiliaGrass Valley EDIUS 6 Update To Version 6.03 Nonlinear Video Editing Software
BroadcastEngineeringGrass Valley adds new free features for EDIUS 6



Magic Bullet Suite 11
Red Giant's filter/tool set was updated this week. For a good explanation of the features and functionality of this suite, check the post with one of the designers of the software, Stu Maschwitz. Note that it is not supported by Final Cut Pro X, though they have said that FCP X support will come as a free update sometime in the future.
ProlostMagic Bullet Suite 11
Sample video, Vimeo: Magic Bullet Looks 2 Fun



SONY HDMI Output
Allan Tépper notes new features in the HDMI output of several Sony camcorders including the HXR-NX5, NEX-FS100, HXR-NX70 and HXR-NX3D1 (RGB/4:4:4 or YUV 4:2:2, 1080 @ 59.94p or 50p, Timecode, 23.976p via 2:3 reversible pulldown and 25p or 29.97p via 2:2 reversible pulldown.)
He also notes that several of these features - including 4:4:4 - is not currently supported by many of the external video recorders.
ProVideoCoalitionUntapped features in Sony NXCAM’s new HDMI output



Passive vs Active 3D
Sony strikes back at LG's campaign in favor of passive 3D glasses with a blog post:
Yes, TVs with passive 3D glasses are less expensive – but you get what you pay for. The lower cost directly translates to lower performance and the fact of the matter is that active 3D technology provides a bright and clear image that cannot be achieved with a passive set.
SonystyleThe Truth About Active Vs Passive 3D. Mike Abary Sets the Record Straight




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Friday, July 01, 2011

News From Here & There

Video Review Of Canon XF100 / XF105
CVPTV has posted an introductory review of the Canon XF100 / XF105. This is primarily a feature demonstration/overview, though it includes an example of "night-shot" mode and additional sample video in the last half of the segment.[Good luck finding one in stock! B & H Canon XF100 $2,999.00]
Creative Video: Introductory review of the Canon XF-105 (XF105, XF-100, XF100) Full HD 50Mbps camcorder



Why I Bought An NEX-FS100
Sam Morgan Moore explains why he bought this large sensor video camera from Sony, moving away from DSLRs, and why he chose it over the AF100. He also mentions that he bought the kit lens, even though:
This is a really unappealing looking bit of glass. But I’ve got it because its just going to be so handy (like the better specced 24-105 on my 5d). AF and image stabilisation, few lens changes, less messing with the ND that will be required
DSLR 4 Real: Why I bought an FS100



Why Doesn't That Sony Dealer Have The NEX-FS100?
If you're wondering why a Sony dealer doesn't carry the NEX-FS100, it may be explaind by this list; Sony's "Large Sensor Imager Authorized Resellers" list
Sony: Large Sensor Imager (LSI) Authorized Resellers



NAB Is Looking For Speakers For 2012
The National Association of Broadcasters has issued a call for members of the NAB community to become "active participants in the development of the overall education program for the NAB Show."
All interested professionals are encouraged to submit presentation or session proposals for the 2012 NAB Show, held April 14-19 in Las Vegas, prior to the entry deadline of October 21. Submissions must be relevant to the creation and distribution of media and filmed entertainment content, or address emerging trends and their impact on the media business.
NAB: NAB Show Opens 2012 Call for Speakers



Megabytes, Gigabytes, Terabytes, Petabytes, Exabytes, Zettabyte
Only a year or so ago it seemed like a Terrabyte was a pretty big disk drive. But we're starting to get 2 and 3 TB drives, so what's next? Petabytes! Then Exabytes, and on to the Zettabyte!
Engadget has a graphic showing the changes.
EngadgetVisualized: a zettabyte



Theaters To Go All Digital
The National Association of Theatre Owners posted comments by President & CEO John Fithian, made at CinemaCon in March 2009. He noted that:
..based on our assessment of the roll-out schedule and our conversations with our distribution partners, I believe that film prints could be unavailable as early as the end of 2013. Simply put, if you don’t make the decision to get on the digital train soon, you will be making the decision to get out of the business.
He also sees 3D as remaining a positive trend, and notes that the Hispanic population is increasing:
Two population trends in this country point toward sustained growth. First, the fastest growing part of our population, Hispanics, are the most avid movie-goers. [...] By 2050, the Bureau predicts that Hispanics will constitute one out of three residents in this country. And Hispanic per capita movie attendance averages seven times a year, compared with four visits for other ethnicities.
The other population trend is a strong birth rate in the US...
Natoonline: JF SPEECH CINEMACON 2011 - Distribution Version [pdf]


Save US$400 on Adobe MAX 2011

Kodak Is Here To Compete




Avid is offering a cross-grade offer to Media Composer for $995

Sony is offering a cross-grade to Vegas Pro 10 for $299

Adobe offer 50% off to switchers for Adobe Premiere and Adobe Production Premium:: Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium - License [Add the Full version to the cart, then in the cart, click on the "Click here to enter a promo code." text just below the details and enter "SWITCH" and the discount is applied]

Sony Offers Discount to Adobe, Avid and Apple Customers!

Are things getting a little crazy, or is it just the 4th of July weekend? Now Sony has stepped up with a Competitive Upgrade for Vegas Pro 10. It's $299.00 (selling for $521.99 on Amazon at the moment)

Sony: Vegas Pro 10

The Cat Ate The Dog

Ricoh is buying Pentax. Neither of those companies have much involvement in video, so it's hardly worth noting, except that my first SLR camera was a Ricoh. Ricoh's SLRs used the Pentax K mount for lenses, so the two companies have had a relationship for many years. In fact, I bought the Ricoh camera (followed by a second Ricoh two years later) because I couldn't afford the Pentax camera I liked(!) Ricoh cameras were cheaper than the Pentax models.

At the time I thought that one day I'd "upgrade" to Pentax.

Not that I was unhappy with the Ricoh camera. It served me well until I started playing with digital cameras in the mid-90s; infact it lasted until I switched to digital - and ended up with Canon.

MacworldRicoh to buy Pentax, set sights on digital SLR market

 Ricoh XR-7 (source: photo.net)
It seemed a lot rounder, and a lot cooler when I bought it!

Adobe offering deals to Switchers too!

Hot on the heals of Avid re-introducing their $995 deal for Avid Media Composer to Final Cut Pro users, Adobe is offering 50% of Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Production Premium [$849.50 instead of $1,699] or Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 [$399.50 instead of $799] to Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer Users!

Offer runs through September 30th: Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium - License [Add the Full version to the cart, then in the cart, click on the "Click here to enter a promo code." text just below the details and enter "SWITCH" and the discount is applied]
See also: Adobe: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 / Switching to Adobe Premiere Pro : Why switch?

Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 11

Tips & Tutorials

Importing Sony XDCAM media
Apple has posted a technote explaining how to support Sony XDCAM media in Final Cut Pro X:
Summary
To be able to import Sony XDCAM, XDCAM HD and XDCAM EX media into Final Cut Pro X, you'll need to download and install the Sony XDCAM Transfer software and XDCAM Drive software.
Apple: Final Cut Pro X: Importing Sony XDCAM media


Free 8-Point Garbage Matte
Alex Gollner has posted a free 8 point garbage matte filter on the fcp.co forum.
fcp.coFree FCPX 8 Point Garbage Matte


Resources List
Alex Gollner has been posting a lot of links to different resources at his blog.
alex4d: Apple support for Final Cut Pro X and Motion 5


Unrecognized Raster Sizes
FCPX Quirks notes that Final Cut Pro X doesn't allow non-standard raster sizes in projects.
FCPXQuirks: Unrecognized Video Properties


The Magnetic Timeline
Chris Kenny at Nice Dissolve explains how you should think about the magnetic timeline:
The fundamental organizational principle of the magnetic timeline is not based around tracks, but around relationships between clips. When two clips collide, and FCP X moves one of them above or below the other, that moved clip isn’t being bumped to another track. There are no tracks. Rather, FCP X is simply overlapping those clips.
NiceDissolve: Getting inside the magnetic timeline’s head


Michael Wohl: Editing in FCPX
Michael Wohl shows some great editing tips in FCPX. Hosted by Michael Horton.Part 1 of 3 Parts
YouTube: LAFCPUG



Review

First Look and First Impressions
Ned Soltz has a review of Final Cut Pro X at dv.com:
The greatest beneficiaries of FCP X will be the broad market: iMovie users looking for something more powerful, FC Express users moving up the sophistication ladder, small, creative Webcasters, podcasters, or news professionals who need to turn around a quick package. It is a boon to professionals engaged in that often-amorphous arena of New Media—YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, etc. Other professional editors for whom FCP X may not be appropriate for some jobs can turn to FCP X for these types of tasks in which FCP X excels.
BUT:
The broadcast professional, multi-user post facility, feature film or collaborative editor is simply left behind in the current iteration of Final Cut Pro X.
dv.com: In Review: Final Cut Pro X: A First Look and First Impressions



Third Party Support

CoreMelt has tweeted: 
FCP X compatibility will be a free update to all our CoreMelt V2 customers, and will include 10-12 new plugins


Switching
Adobe are saying (currently off record) that Premiere Pro has surpassed Final Cut Pro's user-base, 2.3M versus 2M.
@EOSHD

Adobe's Switching Page: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 / Switching to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 : Why switch?


Avid Is Here To Compete Too
We already know that Adobe is more than happy to help out the Final Cut Pro users who are looking to abandon Final Cut. Avid want's you to know that they care too:
For Avid, making great video and audio products to serve the needs of professionals - top editors, whether for film, theatrical, television, broadcasters, major film and music studios, or independent film producers is our lifeblood. You can depend on us to be thinking about your needs first.
Avid: Making great products to serve professionals is our lifeblood
sforde.blogs.adobe: We are here to compete

Extended Cross-grade
Avid is also going to extend the promotion they offered last month:
...we are extending the cross-grade to Media Composer - through September Final Cut Pro (excluding FCP X) users can get Media Composer 5.5 at the promotional price of $995 USD. You can order the cross-grade as of next Tuesday, July 5th.
You can download the free 30 day trial version of Media Composer now.
Avid: Media Composer 5.5



Not Upgrading
On MacRumors forums, a student posted that the NYU's Post Production Center emailed students letting them know they won't be installing Final Cut Pro X on any of their systems, and also telling them they shouldn't use it for any work at their facilities:
THE POST PRODUCTION CENTER AT NYU'S KANBAR INSTITUTE OF FILM & TV WILL NOT INSTALL NOW SUPPORT FCP X FOR THE UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR 201--12.

THE PPC WILL BE RUNNING VERSIONS OF FCP 7 & FCP 6.

Please DO NOT BUY FCP X if you intend to work in the Post Production Center facilities at TSOA because your project will not be compatible with the workstations at the PPC.

Any changes in this policy will be announced as they happen.
While the poster notes that the center generally keeps up to date with Final Cut Pro and AVID Media Composer, it's probably understandable that NYU - or any institution - wouldn't want to jump in to a completely new application without spending time evaluating it, as well as adjusting their classes etc.
MacRumors: NYU will not support FCPX, encourages students not to buy.


Buy (and download) from the App store

Advertisement: $9.99 eBook of the Week

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Four NEX-FS100s at Rule Camera Pub Night

The NEX-FS100 and the Kit lens

The tired, the thirsty and the hungry video production people of Boston had a place to go to last night; Pub Night at Rule Boston Camera! Free pizza, free beer, and gadgets to play with; could it get any better?

Sony was presenting the NEX-FS100 Super 35mm camcorder and the BVM-E250 OLED [$25,499.95] monitor. Rule had four NEX-FS100s set up in different configurations; one stripped down on a Steadicam, one on a rig with a Nikon lens and follow focus and external monitor, one with just a Zeiss lens and lens adapter, and one with the Sony Kit lens. You could get hands-on with them, and really get a feel for the camera.

Tom can't decide which camera to demo...

Tom Cubby from Sony gave a short intro to the NEX-FS100, talked about it's features and demoed it's low-light capabilities, and then we were free to handle the cameras. He also had the A to E-mount adapter, and an Alpha mount 50mm lens, which he put on a camera.
16mm pancake lens

The "stripped-down" NEX-FS100 on the Steadicam had the E-mount 16mm pancake lens on it. An inexpensive lens, there did seem to be some slight light fall-off at the edges. It wasn't always noticeable, but there did seem to be "something going on" with that lens. Of course, for $249, maybe you can't complain.

Stripped down NEX-FS100 on Steadicam

I've held the NEX-FS100 before, but it was still good to spend a little more time trying to hand-hold this odd-shaped camera, and practice clicking the Expanded Focus button while operating; I think that could be in a better location that's easier to find and press without looking for it.

Interestingly, the two units that were being passed around in a hand-held configuration had the side-handle oriented in opposite directions; this made one feel natural to hold down at your waist, while the other felt more natural held up higher to your face (with the EVF extension tube.). I'm not sure that I like this camera for hand holding that much, but it is interesting how it can be held in a couple of different ways which feel sort of natural.

External monitor connected through HDMI port

A good crowd turned out for the event, including Boston Final Cut User Group leader Daniel Bérubé, obviously searching for somewhere to hide from people asking him questions about Final Cut Pro X. I'm not sure it worked out too well for him.

Dan sometimes works with Canon, but he had no information on the rumors of Canon developing a 4K camera, though he obviously thinks they will come out with a large sensor video camera at some point. When asked, he said that Canon doesn't want to be first; they figure out what the best solution is, and then deliver it.

But he's intrigued by the NEX-FS100.

Nikon lens, external monitor and follow-focus

The OLED monitor was set up with a couple of other LCD panels for comparison, but at $25K, I didn't want to fall in love with that, so I didn't study it closely!

Zeiss MTF lens






iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store

Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 10

Tutorials

Color Correcting
Dan Allen has added a video tutorial showing color correction in Final Cut Pro X.
YouTube: Final Cut Pro X Basics Tutorial Pt. 2 - Color Correcting / Grading


Introduction
Kevin McAuliffe has a second part in his introductory series:In Lesson 2 of this Final Cut Pro X video tutorial series, Kevin P McAuliffe takes a look at more importing features, and the most important part of FCPX.....editing clips in your timeline. CreativeCOW: Apple FCPX - Final Cut Pro X Tutorials : Kevin P. McAuliffe



Tips

Hiding Events in the Event Library
Apple has posted a support tech note explaining how to hide Events Hint: it involves moving the Event folders out of the Events Library.
Apple: Final Cut Pro X: Hiding Events in the Event Library


OMF Export
Scott Simmons experiments with Automatic Duck's OMF export and tries importing the results into Adobe Audition.
My thought has been that even though FCPX’s timeline is trackless the clips are still laid out in a similar manner to a tracked timeline only much more haphazardly. So there has to be some way to move the data in and out.
Going by the pictures, it appears that the export mostly worked, though some tracks appear to be in the wrong place.
ProVideoCoalition: A Final Cut Pro X timeline OMF’d into Adobe Audition


FCP 7 vs. FCP X
Clear Head Media put the two applications to a side-by-side test to see how they compared performing a simple edit and upload to Vimeo using DSLR footage. The FCP7 edit included converting to ProRes using MPEG StreamClip and syncing the audio using PluralEyes. The results:
FCP 7: 27 minutes
FCP X: 34 minutes
Vimeo: Clearhead // FCP7 vs FCPX Deathmatch!


Rumors

Updates in Six Months?
Apple says they plan to add multicam support in the next release, but when will that be?: This report makes the statement:
Apparently, the plan is to update Final Cut Pro X substantially twice a year through the Mac App Store.
It also says that there will be a replacement for the XML workflow...
This report is from last week, and it's unclear how accurate it is, despite the fact that it appears to have originated with Philip Hodgetts (who knows more than most of us, but isn't always right!)

CultOfMac: Final Cut Pro X To Get New And Missing Features Every Six Months



Bugs

Clip Selection Bug?
Dan Allen seems to have encountered a problem with a clip that became locked after being imported:
I cannot select a different clip - the clip appears to be locked or something. When I import a new clip I can then choose between the new clip and the previous locked clip - it is all very strange!
Vimeo: Final Cut Pro X Glitch / Clip Selection Error



Movies in iTunes/iPhoto/Aperture Not Viewable in Media Browser
Is this a bug? A note on Apple's site points out that videos in iTunes, iPhoto and Aperture are not viewable in the Media Browser in Final Cut Pro X. You have to drag them to an Event.
Apple: Final Cut Pro X: Movie files from iTunes, iPhoto, and Aperture do not appear in the media browser



Motion 5

The Good & the Bad
Last week Mark Spencer noted the "5 Top New Features in Motion" but this week he notes some things that Apple removed from Motion:
3) Opening Multiple Project Files
In Motion 4, you could open as many project as you wanted: you could work on multiple projects at the same time, refer to other projects while designing, and copy layers and groups from one project to another. In Motion 5, you are restricted to opening just one project at a time
ProVideoCoalition: Motion 5: Five Missing Features
ProVideoCoalition: Motion 5: Top 5 New Features





Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Happy Birthday Ray Harryhausen - 91 today!

Stop-motion animation legend Ray Harryhausen is 91 today, June 29th. His work influenced countless others, and he is perhaps best known for Jason and the Argonauts

Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 9

Digital Production Buzz, Jun 30th - Final Cut Pro X
Andrew Little, Patrick Inhofer, Philip Hodgetts, Bruce Sharpe, Alex Grossman, and more will be on this weeks Digital Production Buzz webcast.
This week, we talk with a variety of developers to get their take on the new software. When will plug-ins be released? How hard is it to develop for? What can we expect? We get all the details this week. All this, plus Pick Our Brains, on this week’s show!
Thursday, June 30th 6PM (PDT)
DigitalProductionBuzz



Tips
FCPX.TV has put together a page of Final Cut Pro X tips - for FCP7 editors:
002 Add Edit is now called Blade (Cmd + B). This is different from just selecting the Blade tool (B) which requires a click on the media to perform the edit.
FCPX.TV: Final Cut Pro X Tips



From the Trenches - LAFCPUG Meeting Report
Michael Kammes reports on Tuesday's meeting of LAFCPUG, which featured Phillip Hodgetts, president of Intelligent Assistance; Larry Jordan, trainer, author; as well as Michael Wohl, author, award-winning filmmaker and part of the original engineering team for Final Cut Pro 1.
Jordan's usual calm smoothness and pacing seemed to put audience at ease. Backhanded jabs about features in FCP X during his presentation to punctuate a point drew many laughs and claps from the audience — further relaxing the crowd. As an audience member, we needed it. I felt there was a slight mob mentality prior to the meeting of wanting to bash the application. Humor seemed to alleviate at least a portion of that.
PostMagazine: BLOG: The first LAFCPUG meeting since the release of FCP X


Al Gore to the Rescue?
Jon Davidson tells Apple Board Member Al Gore that Final Cut Pro X is broken:
AL: “I’ll make sure to let them know”.
Macenstein: Al Gore is going to fix FCP X



Wish List
Ben King at LAFCPUG is putting together a wish list:
  1. Multi-cam functionality.
  2. Separately Adjustable Video Thumbnail and Audio Track heights (grab via pointer).
  3. Open Project (Timeline/Storyline) as a clip and edit into another with all clips editable rather than cut and paste.
LAFCPUG: FCPX Feature Wish List



Macworld PodCast
Christopher Breen and Gary Adcock talk about Final Cut Pro X: Episode #250


Opinions


Hurting Pros
Andy Mees explains how the release of Final Cut Pro X has completely changed the purchasing decision for his edit suites:
So why have I got anything to say about FCP X. Well then, I'll tell you … because we "were" just about to replace our PC based Edius suites with a couple of all singing all dancing hardware assisted Mac Pro based Final Cut Studio super suites (oh yeah) and all hanging of a nice big chunk of XSAN savvy shared storage.

And is that still going to happen, with FCP X in its place? Hell no.
Web.me: It may be the future, but its not the present.



Positive Review
Brandon Garcia offers a cinematographers review of Final Cut Pro X:
Although, I am very proficient in editing, I am a cinematographer, not an editor. The less time I spend editing and exporting the better. As far as efficiency, user-friendliness, organization, and speed…. final cut pro x is the way to go.
BrandonGarcia: First Experience with FCPX



What Might Have Been
Jeffery Harrell offers his opinion of what might have been:
Say what you want about it, but the fact is FCP 7 worked pretty darned well. Once you accepted the burden of media management and format sanitation — I’ll talk about those in more detail later — it was fast, faster than dreams. You could really be creative in FCP 7. It got out of your way and just let you be an editor. It was great, truly great, for offline creative editorial.
JefferyHarrell: FCP 8: What could have been



It's Vincent Laforet's Fault!
Tongue-in-cheek, Ron Dawson blames Vincent Laforet for Final Cut Pro X (well, really, the DSLR revolution.)
When Vincent made “Reverie” everything changed. Filmmakers started shooting with DSLR cameras. Photographers started calling themselves “visual artists” and directors. “Cats and dogs were living together. MASS HYSTERIA!” There’s only one market I can think of that is big enough to change the course of the river that was FCP. Pro photographers-turned-filmmakers (or pros wanting to add video to their repertoire).
It's an interesting idea, BUT while I have encountered some photographers who are making the switch to video the last couple of years, there are also a lot of people who are suddenly thinking about movie making who would have never dreamed about doing it before; or would have been struggling with other video cameras.So it's all the DSLRs fault!
BladeRonner: FCPX and the Death of Final Cut Pro 7 is All Vincent Laforet’s Fault (or Why I think FCPX is Aimed Squarely at Photographers)



Switching

You Can't Wait For The Future
Dylan Reeve says the TV and Film industry has to leave Final Cut behind:
Businesses in the film and TV industry, that have to deliver a product to a strict standard within a strict deadline, can’t pin their hopes on a future upgrades or the next version while relying on an increasingly ageing product that has been EOL’ed. They need certainty and at the moment the only certainty that exists with FCP is that the current version has no future hopes and the current version isn’t suitable for their work. They have no choice but to look elsewhere.
EditGeek: Apple Has Abandoned Pros



Lightworks for the Mac?
The NLE Lightworks is now an Open Source Project, and reportedly they are working on a Mac version for release later this year.
LightworksBeta


Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 8

Resources

The Empire Strikes Back
Apple comes out, sort-of swinging with an FAQ of their own answering several questions. Some of the answers are no [Can I import projects from Final Cut Pro 7 into Final Cut Pro X?] and some of them are "support coming":
Does Final Cut Pro X allow you to assign audio tracks for export?
Not yet. An update this summer will allow you to use metadata tags to categorize your audio clips by type and export them directly from Final Cut Pro X.

Can Final Cut Pro X export XML?
Not yet, but we know how important XML export is to our developers and our users, and we expect to add this functionality to Final Cut Pro X. We will release a set of APIs in the next few weeks so that third-party developers can access the next-generation XML in Final Cut Pro X.
They also note that Volume Licensing will be "available soon."
Apple: Answers to your Final Cut Pro X Questions



50 Pro Features
Apple also wants you to know that Final Cut Pro X has at least 50 "top pro features":
Apple: Final Cut Pro X. Built from the ground up for pro video editors



Tips & Tutorials

Rendering Less - Saving Disk Space
Richard Harrington provides a tip on how to adjust rendering settings in Final Cut Pro X to both reduce rendering and save disk space.
RichardHarrington: How to Render Less in FCPX



XDCAM Workflow
A tutorial showing the workflow for XDCAM in FCPX.
Vimeo: Sony XDCAM and FCPX Workflow



Should You Switch?

Should You Switch to Final Cut Pro X?
Regina McCombs tries to answer the question; should you upgrade?
After talking to a number of folks who’ve played with the software pretty extensively, my advice is to wait. Things might get better. If you can’t wait, or are still confused about whether you’ll update, here’s a short list of reasons you may or may not want to switch.
Poynter: Decision-making guide: Should you upgrade to new Final Cut Pro X editing software?



Switching Away from FCPX
Walter Biscardi - who had already announced his switch to Premiere - isn't swayed by Apple's FAQ:
More than anything else, that [no support for FCP7 projects] is the complete deal breaker for us and confirms what some very smart people have been telling me all along. In our production workflow we refer back to projects 4 to 6 years old with a need to revise, pull elements from or sometimes complete re-cut using the original elements. While FCP X can access the media, it cannot access the original sequences and project organization.
BiscardiCreative: Apple “X” FAQs, confirmation our move away is the right one



Calm Down
Mike at Eurekamatic thinks everyone needs to calm down. Besides, he doesn't really need the features Apple left out:
Can’t send my mix to Protools or Color. – I don’t understand as I do my show mastering in FCP. Always have. I know your head just popped but thats how my group does it. Even the stuff I won an Emmy for. I cut that whole show on a core 2 duo laptop in final cut and only when to a desktop to export. Stop whining.
Eurekamatic: Hey Editors. Switch to Decaf



Maybe a Review will Help
Oscar at Rivaucci Digital Media posts a review of Final Cut Pro X, based on using it to edit a project over the past week. He compares features and functionality with FCP7, giving each a win or loss for each of six categories. FCP7 won three - with one a tie, and FCPX won two.
Overall, I believe that Apple missed the mark a little bit, even though I think that FCPX is a good program, the lack of features that were previously available for us professionals on previous versions outweigh the innovations.
Rivaucci: FCPX First Week Review



Innovative, Not Ready for Prime Time
Jan Ozer provides an in-depth review of FCPX, and concludes:
If this product was released by some unknown Silicon Valley startup, and judged solely on its merits, it would be an innovative release that competes well with most consumer programs, but has some critical feature gaps for even prosumer use. Released as iMovie Pro, as perhaps it should have been, the program would be a fantastic upgrade, if a bit overpriced.

As a replacement for Final Cut Pro 7 or Premiere Pro in its 1.0 state? Fuhgetaboutit.
OnLinevideo: Apple Final Cut Pro X Reviewed: Not Ready for Professionals



The Real Question
Ron Brinkman was involved with Shake both pre and post acquisition by Apple, and he's posted his opinion of how professionals should view Apple as a software provider:
Apple isn’t about a few people in Hollywood having done something cool on a Mac (and then maybe allowing Apple to talk about it). No, Apple is about thousands and thousands of people having done something cool on their own Mac and then wanting to tell everyone about it themselves. It’s become a buzzword but I’ll use it anyway – viral marketing.
[...]
See, here’s the thing with how features happen at Apple to a great extent – product development is often driven by how well things can be demoed. Maybe not explicitly – nobody ever told me to only design features that demoed well – but the nature of the organization effectively makes it work out that way.
DigitalComposting: X vs. Pro



News From Here & There

"News From Here & There" is back! Yes, the past week or so has been overwhelmed by that software release, but here's to getting back to the real world...

Rules for Documentary Makers
Doug Pray (Scratch, Infamy, Art & Copy) offered several tips on documentary filmmaking at a recent film workshop:
  1. The more organized and meticulously planned your documentary production is, the more time you’ll have to play, be free and discover genuine spontaneity and cinema verité beauty.
  2. Research is essential, but pre-interviews with your subject can kill good interviews.
Well worth reading.
Flux.netDoug Pray’s 7 Basic Rules about Making Documentary Films



10.6.8 Update Breaks CUDA support
Users report the recent Mac OS X 10.6.8 update breaking CUDA support for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Current solution: Rollback to previous drivers.
Adobe.forumsPremiere Pro CS5.5 stopped recognizing my CUDA-enabled card



Review of the Sony HXR-NX70 & NEX-FS100
A few days ago, Philip Johnston at HD Warrior posted a fairly extensive report on using the new Sony HXR-NX70 [$2,799] to shoot some footage in different locations. It seems like a great little workhorse, and they really like it, particularly with the XLR inputs. Note that while the camera is rain and dust proof, it's NOT water proof!

I was a little troubled by the one real complaint they had; that the zoom rocker-switch is very prickly, and really jumps from slow to fast.

And yesterday he posted a similar review for the Sony NEX-FS100. In the demo he's using a Nikon f/2.8 zoom with an MTF adapter. Interestingly, he recommends getting a Cokin P Filter holder and ND 4 filter rather than the variable filters that others are using.
HDWarriorReview of the Sony HXR-NX70
HDWarriorReviewing the Sony NEX-FS100



Magic Bullet Suite 11
Red Giant has released Magic Bullet Suite 11, a set of tools, filters and effects. What's new:
  • Magic Bullet Cosmo: Beautiful cosmetic cleanup in a click.
  • Magic Bullet Looks 2: Color effects that set the mood for your story.
  • And introducing our Single Serial installer! Now one installer and one serial number will serve up all nine products in the suite.
Cost: $799. They also made a short movie called "Plot Device" to demo the new effects, and there's an interesting Behind the Scenes on their site:
Red Giant: Magic Bullet Suite
Red Giant: Plot Device
Red Giant: Episode 57: Behind the Scenes of Plot Device



Thunderbolt devices & cables
Apple now has a third-party drive and a Thunderbolt cable for sale on their website!
fcp.comPromise Thunderbolt drives now available on the Apple Store
AppleInsiderApple releases $49 Thunderbolt cable, offers external RAID systems



Questions About RED Scarlet
It's been a long time coming, and we still don't know when it will arrive, but Jared Land of RED has popped up on the RED User's Forum to answer some questions about Scarlet:
Q: Am I right in my understanding that the removable lensScarlet is still supposed to come out? Can we end the rumors of the removable lens scarlet plans being thrown out the window?
A: Scarlet 2/3" removable and the Mini-Primes that go with it are still on track and is due to be released after the 8x fixed Scarlet ships.
REDuser.net10 Scarlet Questions



Sony NEX-FS100 Judder Test
Floris Liesker posted a short test video, writing:
Some people complained the FS100's movement is stuttery. I improvised a test to see if footage contains stutter. I made the whole screen move in the opposite direction in a linear way. A straight line, no curve.
I also put some text in for reference. What I see is a smooth movement, a hand-made pan. No stutter.
VimeoFS100 judder test



Most SuccessFul KickStarter Campaigns
FilmakerIQ has assembled together a list of the 25 most successful - i.e. made the most money - film pitches starting with the $345,992 Save Blue Like Jazz, through to the $50,866 The Blue Eyes.
FilmmakerIQTop 25 Most Successful Kickstarter Film Pitches



4:2:2 and 4:4:4
If you've never quite understood that whole color-subsampling business, then Andy Shipsides at Abelcine has the post for you:
First, I’ll talk about different color models in the HD world, which are often shown as ‘Y Cb Cr’, ‘Y Pb Pr’ or ‘RGB’. Then I’ll cover color sub-sampling, which is most often described by a combination of numbers such as 4:2:2 or 4:2:0. 
CineTechnica: HD Formats: Color Model & Color Sub-Sampling






iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 7

Tutorials & Webinars

Fading Audio
A new tutorial at Premiumbeat:
In this second post in our series on working with sound in FCPX, we’ll take a look at the new tools for fading audio in and out on the project timeline.
Premiumbeat: FCP X Audio Tutorial Part 2: Using Final Cut Pro X’s Audio and Music Fading Tools



Webinar - Final Cut Pro X Hands On Tour
A free webinar with Scott Simmons: Thursday, June 30, 2011 @ 10:00 AM PDT to 11:30 AM PDT
FilmMakingWebinars: Hands On Tour Final Cut Pro X



Webinar - Transitioning Your NLE
ProMax is offering a series of webinars for those transitioning from Final Cut Pro 7:
  • ADOBE: July 14th @ 10am pst - Switching from Final Cut Pro 7 to Adobe: Cost, Infrastructure Changes, Collaboration & Benefits
  • AVID: July 21st @ 10am pst - Switching from Final Cut Pro 7 to Avid: Cost, Infrastructure Changes, Collaboration & Benefits
  • FCPX: July 28th @ 10am pst - Switching from Final Cut Pro 7 to FCP X:Cost Infrastructure Changes, Collaboration & Benefits
ProMax: Where to go After FCP 7



Video WebCast Replay
This weekend Alex Lindsay, Mark Spencer, and Steve Martin had a candid discussion about the new Final Cut Pro X via uStream. A recording of the event is now up on YouTube, and it's worth watching:





Video Tutorial from Izzy Media
Israel Hyman has put together two and a half hours of training on Final Cut Pro X that's available for free.
[I couldn't seem to get them to play when I tried them; I hope he hasn't swamped his server!]
IzzyMedia: Final Cut Pro X Tutorial



Third Party Developers
  • GenArts announcement: Sapphire Edge for Final Cut Pro X is in beta for an August release: GenArts: Sapphire Edge for Apple Final Cut Pro
  • BorisFX: "We are in the process of porting Boris Continuum Complete FxPlug, the Boris Continuum Units, Final Effects Complete FxPlug, Boris RED, Boris FX, and Boris Graffiti to Apple’s FxPlug 2 plug-in architecture". Apple Final Cut Pro X Support


Other News
XML import code inside FCPX?
9to5 Mac reports that MacMagazine.br found the code for importing Final Cut Pro 7 projects inside FCPX.
9 to 5 Mac: Import of previous Final Cut Pro XML coming soon to Final Cut Pro X


A Facebook page: FCPX Group

I love the metaphors about carpenters never being in panic over tools, but I have to admit hammers are usually backwards compatible
@RyanJacobi

Opinions
The Positives
Dab Rubottom looks at what they got right in Final Cut Pro X, including:
  • Better Audio Plugins
  • Easier Keyframing
  • Scrubbing with Pitch Correction
  • Sub-frame Audio Editing
DanRubottom: What Apple DID Get Right in Final Cut Pro X- Part 1


The Negatives
Richard Harrington Calls It Quits
File this under #NOTASURPRISE. After spending quite a bit of time bemoaning what's happened with Final Cut, Richard Harrington has posted a new article outlining all of his concerns, and concludes:
This takes us to the final point. Can you expect that the investment you make today will work in the future? Can you invest in training your employees so they are ready for the future? Can you trust Apple?

I am going to speak no further ... that is a personal decision for you to make.
RichardHarrington: The Final Straw that was FCPX


Yesterday Jeffery Harrell posted a cool video to Vimeo, which got popular, and then got taken down. A lot of people assumed that Apple had it taken down, including Ron Dawson, who wrote a post about it...
...Now it appears that the clip was taken down because of the illegal use of music, not because Apple had sent a take down notice to Vimeo. Still, Ron finds that a little hard to believe...
Mainly because I’ve never, ever seen Vimeo take down a video due to music clearance. Not saying they haven’t, I just never saw it. So, why all of a sudden now? Maybe the music holders of this particular song didn’t like how Jeffery used it and asked for it to be removed. I guess it’s just a “fishy” coincidence that of all music copyright-infringing videos on Vimeo to be taken down, why this one?
Note: YouTube has agreements with several commercial labels which actually allows them to host clips with [some] copyrighted music.
BladeRonner: Vimeo’s Removal of Jeffery Harrell’s FCPX Video and What That Means to You



Humor
Hitler reacts to Final Cut Pro X: YouTube: Hitler finds out about Final Cut Pro X

"Sell Your Own Damn Movie" - a book review in multiple parts

I'm a somewhat erratic reader of books. I love them, but I find that I'm inconsistent in my actual reading of them. When it comes to books, one of three things happens:
  1. I buy a book, excited by it's topic and interesting cover. I take it home and never open it.
  2. I bring a book home, read a bit, put it aside, read a bit more. Over the course of two months, I read about three chapters, by which point I totally lose interest, and I never finish it.
  3. I read a book from cover to cover in two days flat, often staying up all hours to finish it.
I've always been this way, and it's somewhat frustrating that I can't be more moderate in my book consumption. I've tried, but I can't.

Here's the thing, I won a copy of Sell Your Own Damn Movie! by Lloyd Kaufman at a recent BOSFCPUG meeting, and one of the things group leader Dan Bérubé asks people to do is to review or let him know how you like the thing you won. Talk about getting some guilt with the prize!

But I'm not sure I'm going to finish this book. I may not get past the introduction (which I HAVE read.)

So what I'm going to do is a multi-part book review. I'm going to review it as I go. Or more accurately, post my notes. If I only get to the third chapter, well at least you'll know what the first three chapters are like. If I haven't posted again in three months, youll know how this book turned out.

Having read the first two chapters, I'm pretty sure that Lloyd will be cool with that.[Lloyd may be, but you're editor won't -Ed]



Introduction
We're hardly into the book and it's clear that Lloyd doesn't like Jay Leno. He also presents himself as a bit of a huckster, a bit of a bullshitter and a bit of a failure. But he's enough of a success as a huckster, he assures us, to have persuaded the publisher to print this book. He then proceeds to tell us that to be a success, you need to believe in what you are selling:
"Do you know how hard it is to sell something you don't love? Try working at Kmart or Foot Locker for a few months. Do you know why those people are so f&*king unhappy all the time? It's because they hate their lives."
He also warns us that:
"Thanks to the democratization of filmmaking, everyone on earth can make a movie and does!"
oh, and don't think that you are just dealing with the studio's. No, it turns out there are lots of people trying to make money with their movies, so you better be prepared to hustle!
"You think all the other little puppies are going to let you have a table scrap? No, goddamn it!"
He finishes by saying that we don't need him to give us a pep talk, but I'm not so sure...


Chapter One
This chapter begins with a highly suspect history of film distribution. It then turns into a diary page where, after some serious drinking, it comes to Lloyd that the book should be pro-piracy, and he emails his editor with the idea. She replies:
"I'm not sure about your piracy angle, mostly because I believe piracy is illegal. We would like to sell copies of this book, unlike the last two that you wrote for us."
Karen Black of Family Plot - and other movies - pops up in a side-bar to suggest that, yes, you should be a nuisance if you want to be a success. This comes as a bit of a shock to this reader who is easily rebuffed. I will resolve to be more annoying in future.
"No! You're not annoying people. You're actually giving them a chance to say yes to you!"
I must remember to repeat that.

Finally, for those who aren't sure, there's a flow chart that answers the question; should you read this book. Evidently, I work for Disney. [If this makes no sense to you, we were puzzled too - Ed.]

A special side-note for those who think this book might make a good gift for pretentious young filmmakers: Due to extensive use of colorful language, probably not.


Chapter Two
It's chapter two, and time to review the state of movie distribution today. It turns out that Reagan ruined the theaters for the independents by allowing the studios to once again own theaters and pressure them into showing certain titles.

Forget the studios and national distribution, Lloyd counsels; try for week long runs at small theaters. He provides some advice for promotion and also gives examples of money/ terms to expect i.e. get a deposit against a percentage of the gross. And, Don't forget to get everything in writing.

He also explains how to lose $40,00 on $30,000 of ticket sales. That's the sort of information you probably don't find in every book.
"You didn't make the movie so you could make millions of dollars, right?"
Then follows eight pages of an interview with two filmmakers about distribution, film festivals and selling DVDs. For those thinking of writing their own book, Lloyd really demonstrates how to fill pages..

The interview works so well that it's followed by an interview with producer Ted Hope that goes from the uplifting story of the Brothers McMullen - literally being made on a shoe string and becoming a big hit - to how it's impossible to make money from the studios, in less than a page. I think I need Lloyd to give us a pep talk now..

Coming Up
Chapter 3 is going to be about piracy being good. Of course, after being raped by the studios and the theater owners, piracy is looking pretty good.


OMG, this is long. I might have to rethink this review strategy and come up with something shorter.






Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 6

Larry Jordan at the London SuperMeet
MacVideo has posted clips of Larry Jordan talking about Final Cut Pro X at the London SuperMeet last week.
"Apple released Final Cut Pro X, and you would have thought that people's children were being kidnapped."
Larry gives quite a spirited defense of Final Cut Pro X; though he notes the limitations and his complaints, and remember this happened just two days after the release.
MacVideo: London SuperMeet: Final Cut Pro X (parts 1 & 2)

Larry continues to update his free video training clips: YouTube: LarryJordanFCP



Update On Gamma Issue
Chris Marquardt updates a gamma issue he was seeing with video played in Final Cut Pro X's viewer window:
Thanks to a comment from jhazelbaker and some more experimentation, it's now clearer what caused the issue. Apparently FCP X does indeed honor ICC display profiles... as long as they are ICC version 2. Profiling your display with an X-Rite ColorMunki, which is what I use, will by default create a v4 ICC profile that apparently gets interpreted in the wrong way by Final Cut Pro X. Other applications such as Adobe Lightroom don't show this issue, which lets me assume that it is an FCP X bug.
ChrisMarquard: Final Cut Pro X - wrong gamma in viewer? [updated]



Multi-angle editing
Bill Savage demos how to do an edit with multiple angles in the timeline. Though it's billed as a multi-cam work-around, it's not "multi-cam" the way Final Cut Pro 7 let you do it. In FCP7 you can set up the clips, then start playing the sequence and "switch" from one angle to another while it's playing; in other words, switching on the fly; just like they do with live broadcasting!

I should add that I always edit my multi-camera stuff the way Bill demos; I tried multi-cam once and didn't like how slow it was (perhaps a limitation of my hardware, but one that I couldn't afford to fix.)
YouTube: How To Multi Cam Edit in Final Cut Pro X



Using the iPad as an external Monitor
It's rather slow and buggy, but Daniel Freytag tried using the App Air Display - Avatron Software, Inc. to attach the iPad as an external monitor to use with Final Cut Pro X. It sort of worked.
DanielFreytag: Working with the iPad and Final Cut Pro X



Moving Away From Tape
Dan Sollis thinks that Final Cut Pro X moving away from tape may prompt production houses to move away from tape too:
Right now the reason broadcasters insist on tape (expensive proprietary formats like HD-CAM SR) is that it gives them a standard baseline to receive final material in. If an open-source, standardised format could be agreed on, we'll all be able to move away from tape forever.
I doubt Final Cut Pro X will have the effect directly. Also, while tape is a pain, it remains inexpensive and easily archiveable.
therealmegapuppy: Final Cut Pro X and moving on from tape

As much as I want to love #FCPx, it's constant crashing, losing my work & of course the omissions we all know of led me to request a refund.
@IAmNeedCreative


What's Missing For Pros?
Walter Biscardi posted an article at CreativeCOW a couple of days ago.Final Cut Pro X: What's Missing for Some Pros
There's now an extensive collection of responses to the post: CreativeCOW: Final Cut Pro X: What's Missing for Some Pros : Comments



What About Final Cut Server?
Mark Davis notes the concern - amongst some - about the end of Final Cut Server:
So why did Apple kill Final Cut Server?  According to Steve Jobs, “hardly anyone was buying it”.  Perhaps more tellingly, we have seen reports that Final Cut Pro X does not work with shared media or SAN's. The footage has to be local.  We’re not sure if this is true, and are trying to confirm this with Apple, but that could provide the real explanation behind Apple’s surprise move.
He suggests that those looking for media management systems to move to Avid (though Walter Biscardi says Adobe!)
Scenios: RIP: Final Cut Server


BTW, nothing we showed tonight works with FCP X — yet. Because, after all, neither do you
@5tu [Tweeting after Red Giant announces new software]


Those That Went Before
Marco Solorio lists the many pro applications that Apple has killed over the years, starting with Shake:
This really should have been the first hint that Apple didn’t have a huge interest in the pro apps market. Why they initially bought them out in the first place, I do not know. Even worse, why they EOL’ed an awesome app like Shake is even more strange to me. It’s as if Apple became the black hole of pro apps software—they buy it and kill it.
From what I can see, Apple buys programs like that to take the high-end features and integrate them into their "consumer" applications. The steadicam feature added to Motion, Final Cut and iMovie came from Shake I believe.
OneRiverMedia: Is the trust for Apple gone for good?



Lens Flare Plug-in
motionVFX has posted a demo of mFlare, a lens flare plugin for FCPX & Motion 5 which will be available "soon." The demo includes before and after footage at the end.
Vimeo: motionVFX mFlare promo 02
motionVFX.com



The Professional Press Takes Notice of Petition


Dealing With It
Jeff Uemura defends Final Cut Pro X; it does everything he needs, though he also admits:
Does Fast Horse need any of this? No. We shoot on one Canon 5DMKII. I won’t miss multicam and won’t have much use for it when it gets re-implemented as a free update. The day a Fast Horse shoot gets so big we have to have an XML document to organize the footage is the day I recommend we open Fast Horse Filmworks and start producing feature films.
 fasthorseinc: Dr. Strangesplice Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Final Cut Pro X



View From Around The Web
Though the title is "Apple Gets Justified Smackdown," this article by Michael Comeau seems to find the middle ground:
I spent several hours over the weekend trying to figure out exactly what Final Cut Pro X’s deal is, and why so many people hate it. I recommend that you avoid doing the same, because deciphering the ramblings of disgruntled video editors is an exercise in pain, if nothing else.
Minyanville: Apple Gets Justified Smackdown as Final Cut Pro X Goes Under Fire



A letter of clarification from Apple - not really
Ian Betteridg imagines a letter from Apple:
...if the feature you need isn’t there, we’d like you to know that we’re working hard to add in the key tools our professional customers know and love, and meanwhile we’re going to continue selling and supporting Final Cut Pro 7 until at least the end of 2012.
Technova: How Apple could fix Final Cut Pro X, in 187 words



Switching To Adobe

We are here to compete...
Steve Forde, Product Manager for AE at Adobe makes a powerful non-comment about the release of Final Cut Pro X:
To all those asking me for comment on the launch of FCPX, I have none. What right do I have to publicly comment on the hard work any vendor does in creating software and bringing it to market?

What I CAN comment on is our software and how we bring it to market. Adobe has and will continue to focus on EARNING the right to be your tools of choice as you tell your story, and deliver professional content. We know that not all is perfect, but we will LISTEN, engage in dialogue and constantly improve our software. We will also innovate in ways that will continue to streamline workflow and unlock creative potential.

In short – we are here to compete for your business, and we believe we can win.
sforde.blogs.adobe: We are here to compete


Adobe's Video Market Share
Don't let it be said that Adobe is going to miss a chance to beat on Apple. John Nack offers statistics for Adobe's marketshare:
Adobe’s Professional Video business grew 22% year-over-year (compared to Apple’s stated 15% growth in pro video). The video industry on the whole grew on average of 7% year over year.
jnack.blogs.adobe: Notes on Adobe video market share


More Humor



See also: Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 5





Monday, June 27, 2011

Rule Camera Pub Night & Learning Lab - See the Sony NEX-FS100 Wed June 29

Rule Boston Camera is having two events on Wednesday June 29 featuring the Sony NEX-FS100 and the BVM-E250 OLED Monitor.
LearningLab: 10am to 12pm (with Bagels and Coffee)
Pub Night: 6pm to 8pm (with Pizza and Beer)
Both at Rule Boston Camera. RSVP: to events@rule.com

Tom Cubby will present on the NEX-FS100, and Steve Dirksmeier on the BVM-E250 OLED monitor.


More Info: Constant Contact: Rule Boston Camera

Advertisement: Special Offer on Panasonic AG-AF100

B & H is offering a free Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S. ($849.95 Value) with the purchase of the Panasonic AG-AF100 [$4,795.00]

Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 5

I wasn't expecting to do a second update today, but there's been a lot of new stuff posted...


Bugs & Problems
Macworld has posted its own list of Final Cut Pro X issues: Bugs & Fixes: Troubleshooting Final Cut Pro X



Refunds [UPDATE 4:00PM]
People who requested refunds over the weekend, and told it could take 5 to 7 business days to process, are reporting that they are already getting their refunds.



Tutorials

Adding Audio
A tutorial at Premiumbeat explains how to work with audio in Final Cut Pro X.
Among the “updates” in this latest incarnation of Final Cut Pro, there have been some changes about the way the application imports and handles audio in project timelines. Like in previous versions, you can still bring audio into your project by using FCP X’s import function or dragging in audio from the Finder / Desktop. However, FCPX also includes a built-in “Music and Sound” browser to, perhaps more quickly, find audio elements for project use. Let’s take a look at each of these import methods.
Premiumbeat: FCP X Audio Tutorial Part 1: Adding Sound and Music to Your Final Cut Pro X Projects and Using Snapping to Control Placement on the Timeline



Syncing Audio
Kurt Lancaster offers a quick guide on how to sync audio:
Most DSLR shooters are already aware of PluralEyes and DualEyes. But the new version of Final Cut X will also sync external audio recorders with DSLR audio files. This lesson shows you how.
MasteringFilm: Final Cut Pro X Tutorial: Syncing Audio



Recording a Voice Over
Amani Channel explains how to record a voice-over in Final Cut Pro X:
In the past, I normally would record my voice overs in Sound Track Pro, or even Garage Band, and would then audio edit inside the respective software before exporting the narration file to either FCP 7, or Premier Pro.

[...] Final Cut Pro X makes recording narration extremely simple. I’m still learning the software, but hope that this helps.
WebVideoChefs: How to record a voice over in Final Cut Pro X



Primary Color Correction Tools
A step-by-step guide to the new color workflow in Final Cut Pro X
The first thing to note is that unlike previous versions of Final Cut Pro where all corrections were filter based, in FCP X Color Correction has become part of the main task-flow of the user interface.
MacProVideo: FCP X Tutorial: New Primary Color Correction tools in FCP X Part 1 - Exposure



Video tutorials
Dan Allen has been updating his series of tutorials;
  • Basics Tutorial Pt. 11 - Blade Tool / Splitting Clips
  • Basics Tutorial Pt. 10 - Transitions + Video Keyframes
  • Basics Tutorial Pt. 9 - Blend Modes
YouTube: Final Cut Pro X Tutorials



Free One Hour Tutorial
Michael Wohl at MacVideoPro has put together a training video on Final Cut Pro X, and you can view the first chapter for free.
via fcp.co: Free one hour FCPX introduction tutorial from Michael Wohl, one of the original designers of Final Cut Pro



Support

Final Cut Pro 7 Updates Back at Apple Support
Apple reportedly removed Final Cut Pro 7 updates from their support site, but now they are back (whether they were removed accidentally is unknown.)
Apple: Final Cut Studio Downloads



Red Giant to Support Final Cut Pro X
Red Giant has released a statement about Final Cut Pro X support:
In terms of development, you’ll be seeing Magic Bullet products available on Final Cut Pro X very soon. In fact, with the SDK in hand, we’ve already begun the engineering effort for what will be free Final Cut Pro X updates for current users.”
TVTechnology: Red Giant to Support Apple FCPX



RED Comment
A post on the RED forum:
We would love to support FCP-X. And if someone sends us an API.. or SDK.. or whatever else we need... we will get right on it.

Contrary to what others are "officially" saying... There has been ZERO integration work started on it to this day ( at least on our side )..
REDUser: Why everyone is so painfully wrong about FCPX



3rd Party Plug-ins
The Toolfarm is maintaining a list of third party developers that have made statements/announcements about Final Cut Pro X support.
Toolfarm: Final Cut Pro X- Plug-in/ 3rd Party Company Updates



More Opinions

What They Should Have Done
Mitch at Planet 5D offers his thoughts on Final Cut Pro X, offering a slightly different perspective:
Ok, right off the bat – Apple screwed up big time on this one – not because they left out feature xyz, but because they didn’t properly set expectations and they didn’t have proper documentation and training available on day 1. When Aperture 3 was released, there were a bunch of tutorials available on Apple’s site on day 1! Their ‘do everything in secret’ policy is OK, as long as they are able to adequately set expectations once the product is released. FAIL.
Planet5D: Almost a week in – thoughts on Final Cut Pro X (FCPX)



Tej Babra offers his perspective
Before I begin this review I would like to point out 2 things. First this will not be a rant by any means. Secondly, I did not get this review up earlier as I wanted to examine FCPX for at least a week cutting an actual project.
ArtoftheGuilotine: FCPX Part 1



Another Opinion at Macworld
Serenity Caldwell offers a second opinion about Final Cut Pro X at Macworld:
But I think the majority of editors will embrace Final Cut, after Apple spends the time to fix what it needs to. (It always does, even if it takes awhile.) And once that happens, I can’t imagine Final Cut Pro X as anything other than the poster child for the next decade of the editing industry.
Macworld: How Apple re-cut Final Cut Pro for the better



Andrew Read at EOSHD Part II
Andrew has posted the second part of his review of Final Cut Pro X
Yes FCPX is forward facing, it heralds the future first and Apple did the same with the iPhone, the iPad and iTunes whilst the rest put out Nokias, netbooks and CDs. But that was in the consumer market, where Apple excel. Is the pro video industry really ready to shift to this shiny new editing package when so many crucial things are lacking? No.

Is Apple now firmly a consumer-only company, who have pulled out of the pro software market? It certainly looks that way.
EOSHD: Final Cut Pro X and Compressor 4 – Review – Part II



Apple Being Apple
Chris Kenny points out that we shouldn't be surprised that Apple would be willing to undertake such a startling transition.
The way the FCP X rollout has been handled has nothing to do with Apple slighting pro users — it’s just Apple being Apple. It’s annoying as hell sometimes, but while it’s temping to believe Apple could discard these behaviors and deliver equally successful products, I’m not sure that’s actually the case.
NiceDissolve: Breaking: Final Cut Pro X is an Apple product



The Limitations of Creativity
David Intrator at The Creative Organization looks at the Final Cut Pro X debate, and offers an interesting insight:
What I’ve noticed over the last few years, however, is that software tools are increasingly encouraging what I’ll call “pre-formatted” creativity.
Rather than start from the blank page, we are presented with templates, pre-sets, loops and the like which we then assemble and manipulate to produce our creations.
The Creative Organization: Creativity and The Final Cut Pro X Debacle



The Democratization of Accessibility
Zac at TechVessel offers a somewhat similar opinion
Apple doesn’t mind looking like the bad guy. They don’t mind being accused of being wrong, or sometimes actually being wrong. Apple fancies themselves editors, trimming away at features as if they were excess leaves on a tree, accentuating or highlighting certain aspects, while doing away completely with obstructive branches.
TechVessel: FCPX: Risk, & The Democratization of Accessibility



Good App, Bad Launch?
David Schloss thinks the problem Apple had was in how they managed expectations. Come on, it's Apple, expectations are always extreme!
MacCreate: Final Cut Pro X: Apple’s Worst Launch of Their Best App



Transitioning Away From Final Cut

FCP to Premiere Pro Workflow
Walter Biscardi offers a workflow for moving from Final Cut to Adobe Premiere:
The biggest question I’m getting is “how will my Final Cut Pro workflow translate if I go to another NLE?” For many of you, there are many years of workflow development, keystroke memorization, etc… that you just don’t want to have to be forced to give up.
Biscardicreative: Transition 2: FCP Workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro


Adobe Tutorials
Adobe posted several tutorials a while back on how to transition to Adobe Premiere Pro.
Adobe: Switching to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5



How Angry Are You?

A petition to get Apple to fix things, or release the source code to Final Cut Pro 7. (As someone else said "Good luck with that")
PetitionOnline.com: Final Cut Pro X is Not a Professional Application

Jeffery Harrell proves that you don't want to piss-off Video Editors; they'll take your words and old video and use it against you.
Vimeo: I have no title for this

For some reason it was deleted from Vimeo, but now it's up on YouTube:



[UPDATE 4:00PM - Added info about refunds]

See also: Final Cut Pro X Information & Resources 4